Most of the time I don’t run with music, but I found myself having a serious lack of motivation this past weekend. Good music is power, and if you can’t motivate yourself to get up and workout, let the music do it for you. I like to get lost in the music, so I try not to run to really popular music that I hear all the time.

Song placement is almost as important as song quality. You always want to keep a nice slow pace at the beginning of your run, so your legs can properly warm up. It’s good to start out with a couple slower-paced songs because the calmer beat will keep you from starting too fast. When your legs are not properly warmed up you are more prone to injury, and starting out faster than your comfort zone will tire you out a lot faster.

The same thing goes for the last couple songs on any of your workout playlists. Cooling down is just as important as warming up. Make sure the last few songs on your playlist are winding down, so your body can properly recover and cool down from your workout.